Brake backing plate and method and apparatus for making same

Abstract

A brake backing plate has a friction surface for receiving a friction pad material. The brake backing plate has multiple protrusions are protruding out of the friction surface. One or more protrusions have an enlarged section for facilitating engagement between the friction surface and the friction pad material. In an embodiment, the enlarged section is formed by pressing the distal end of one or more protrusions.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A brake backing plate comprising: 
 a friction surface for receiving a friction pad material thereon; and    multiple protrusions protruding out of the friction surface, one or more of which protrusions have an enlarged section for facilitating engagement between the friction surface and the friction pad material.    
     
     
         2 . The brake backing plate as claimed in claim I wherein each protrusion has a proximal end where the protrusion is protruding out of the friction surface and a distal end opposing to the proximal end, and the enlarged section is formed at the distal end of one or more protrusions.  
     
     
         3 . The brake backing plate as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the enlarged section is deformed to have an enlarged cross sectional area.  
     
     
         4 . The brake backing plate as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the enlarged section is enlarged in generally parallel to the friction surface.  
     
     
         5 . The brake backing plate as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the enlarged section has a flat surface.  
     
     
         6 . A brake backing plate treating apparatus comprising: 
 a protrusion forming unit having multiple blades for forming multiple protrusions on a friction surface of a brake backing plate which receives a friction pad material thereon; and    a deforming unit for deforming one or more protrusions formed by the protrusion forming unit to provide an enlarged section on one or more protrusions for facilitating engagement between the friction surface and the friction pad material.    
     
     
         7 . The brake backing plate treating apparatus as claimed in  claim 6  wherein each protrusion has a proximal end where the protrusion is protruding out of the friction surface and a distal end opposing to the proximal end, and the deforming unit comprises a deforming plate for deforming the distal end of one or more protrusions.  
     
     
         8 . The brake backing plate treating apparatus as claimed in  claim 7  wherein the deforming plate is activated to press the distal end of one or more protrusions.  
     
     
         9 . The brake backing plate treating apparatus as claimed in  claim 7  wherein the protrusion forming unit has a press for,pressing the multiple blades onto the friction surface of the brake backing plate, and the deforming plate is activated by the press.  
     
     
         10 . The brake backing plate treating apparatus as claimed in  claim 7  wherein the position of the deforming plate is adjustable relative to the friction surface of the plate.  
     
     
         11 . The brake backing plate treating apparatus as claimed in  claim 6  further comprising a conveyer for conveying brake backing plates from the protrusion forming unit to the deforming unit.  
     
     
         12 . A method for treating brake backing plates, the method comprising steps of: 
 forming multiple protrusions on a friction surface of a brake backing plate which receives a friction pad material; and    deforming one or more protrusions to provide an enlarged deformed section on the one or more protrusions for facilitating engagement between the friction surface and the friction pad material.    
     
     
         13 . The method as claimed in  claim 12  wherein each protrusion has a proximal end where the protrusion is protruding out of the friction surface and a distal end opposing to the proximal end, and the deforming step presses the distal end of one or more protrusions.  
     
     
         14 . The method as claimed in  claim 13  wherein the deforming step presses the distal end of one or more protrusions on a brake backing plate simultaneously with the forming step forms protrusions on a different brake backing plate.  
     
     
         15 . The method as claimed in  claim 12  wherein the forming step displaces portions of the friction surface to form protrusions and corresponding recesses.  
     
     
         16 . The method as claimed in  claim 12  further comprising a step of conveying the brake backing plate after the forming step to perform the deformation step on the brake backing plate.